Goodnight, sweet prince: Sealand’s founder dies at age 91

On Tuesday, Paddy Roy Bates, the self-styled "Prince Roy" of Sealand, died at the age of 91.

Sealand—a micronation founded in 1967 as a converted World War II-era defense platform outside of the United Kingdom’s southeastern maritime boundary—has insisted that it is a bona fide sovereign nation throughout its nearly half-century of tumultuous history. (Ars covered this colorful history in great detail earlier this year, focusing particularly on its attempt at becoming a "data haven.")

Bates came to Sealand originally in 1967, when it was known by its military name, Roughs Tower, or more formally, HM Fort Roughs. Originally, his aim was to start a pirate radio station outside of the long arm of British law.

That same year, Bates got into a firefight with another group of pirate radio broadcasters, and Bates was ordered to face weapons charges in the United Kingdom. In 1968, that court ruled that because Roughs Tower (aka Sealand) was outside the British maritime boundary of three nautical miles, the government had no jurisdiction to prosecute him, and the case was dismissed. Prince Roy, as a result, determined that this constituted a de facto recognition of Sealand.

In a statement published Wednesday on the official Sealand website, Bates is said to have remained loyal to his home country, particularly given his military service as an infantry major in the First Battalion Royal Fusiliers City of London Regiment.

"[Bates] claimed to have enjoyed [World War II] and was immensely proud to have served King and country defending the four corners of the British empire," the Sealand government said in a statement. "He once said that despite the paradox of him breaking away from the UK with Sealand, he would do it all again if his mother country needed him."

The British Embassy in Washington, DC did not respond to our request for comment.

I'm still wondering exactly how structurally sound that 'nation' is. Especially after all that time, I can't imagine it could be another decade before "Sealand" just becomes "Sea".

It is a concrete gravity structure in shallow water (under 100 feet) - similar to the world's largest oil platforms (and tallest) in the Norwegian North Sea. It will probably last centuries.

Hoover Dam, you may note is also made out of concrete and is tasked with holding back water... and it is said that it is still hardening; it will take 900 years to fully cure. Yeah, water will win in the end - but none of us will be there.